Review by John Luciano
Josh Roseman's latest recording is horn-driven, funked out, spacey reggae with a dose of dub tossed in for good measure.
Roseman's trombone, whether it's straight and buttery, muted, electrified, or chorused is front and center on all the tunes.
Like his two earlier recordings, Cherry and the very excellent Treats For The Nightwalker, New Constellations
is an ensemble recording, with many excellent musicians contributing to Roseman's arrangements. Three particular musicians of note
who help out on this one are Barney McCall (keys) and Jonathon Maron (bass), both of who are former bandmates of Roseman's
in Groove Collective, and young trumpeter extraordinaire, Ambrose Akinmusire (see
Alan Pasqua’s latest release). Three tunes of note are
"Theme Constellations," "Thoroughfare," which is my favorite song of this session, and "I Should Have Known Better," which
has this Pharoah Sanders The Creator Has A Master Plan feel to it. Josh Roseman is a member of a new group of young musicians
who are not afraid to cross boundaries, and color outside the lines – while creating their brand of improvisational jazz.
I applaud him.
